The Age of Freedom
by Player 19
Summary: What would happen if Britannia have invaded the wrong country? What if there's a nation that is far superior than the Britannian Empire despite its size? What will happen if the "sleeping giant" fight back? What if there's more to Zero? Read this to find out! (might change the rating or genres as this story progresses)


**Prologue: Becoming Zero**

* * *

_Millions of years ago, a meteorite made of Forgium; the strongest substance in the known galaxy, struck the small continent affecting the plant life around it. When the age of mankind begins, seven tribes settled on it and called it Arias. The Seven tribes, which are known as Adriel, Gabriel, Gabri, Gurion, Adina, Zedekiah, and Salamon, lived in constant war with each other until a warrior from the tribe of Adriel received a vision of a united Arias._

_From there, the warrior chose a worthy woman from the tribe of Adina to become the First Queen of all Arias, while the warrior became the first Zero, the greatest warrior of Arias. Five tribes agreed to this, but the Gabrielites and the Zedekiah tribe refused this and headed to two outer islands of Arias to form their own nations; Gabriel and Zodanga._

_The Ariasians, Gabrielites, and Zodangans used Forgium to develop technology more advanced than any nation or superpower nation. But as these three nations thrived, the world around it descended further into disorder. To keep Forgium out of the wrong hands, the three nations vowed to hide in plain sight as they tricked the whole world of their development by keeping the truth of their powers from the outside world._

* * *

_The date was August 10 in the year 2010 of the Imperial Calendar, the Holy Britannian Empire declared war on Japan._

_The far east island nation had held fast to its neutrality and now Britannia looms as the world's only superpower. Rights to Japan's underground resources became a hotly disputed issue straining the already deep-rooted diplomatic tensions between the two sides._

_In the deciding battle for the mainland, Britannian forces introduced the Knightmare Frame, which was a humanoid autonomous battle armored knight, into actual combat. As their power was far greater than anticipated, the mainland defense line of the Japanese forces was completely broken by the Knightmares._

_Japan became a dominion of the empire. It was stripped of its freedom, its rights, and even its name. Area 11 became the new name of the defeated nation of Japan._

* * *

_Five years later, that victory caused the Britannians to be arrogant as they send another fleet to conquer the small continent. The Invasion of Arias forced the three nations to reveal their powers as Zodanga was obliterated like Japan while the Britannians seizes about 82% of Gabriel and 31.7% of Arias territories. With Zodanga out of the way, the Britannians discovered the truth of the three nations' power as they found the Forgium among the lands of Zodanga._

_With the discovery of Forgium by the Britannians as well as the end of Zodanga forced the remaining two nations to unleash the truth of the whole world by launching military forces with advanced technology suited for combat. With next-generation weapons such as tanks, airplanes, and warships, none brought more victories against the Britannians than the Jaegers._

_The 1st to 3rd generation Jaegers were originally built to be used for the development of the nations of Arias for agriculture, logistics, shipping and salvage, cargo transport, construction, and search and harvest Forgium and other valuable materials found on the continent. However, during the 1930s to the late 80s, a total of six Arias Civil Wars between the three nations to fight one another creating next generation Jaegers that were built for combat and repurposing most of the older generation Jaegers to fight the Arias Civil Wars leaving 2nd generation Jaegers to continue its original purposes such as construction, shipping and salvaging, logistics, and search and harvest with a new feature known as search and rescue._

_Within the Arias Civil Wars, two new designs were added to Jaeger technology of late 5th to 7th generation; the classing system and the synchronizing system. The Synchronizing System allows the pilots to control the Jaegers like an exoskeleton, as well as preventing an enemy pilot from stealing a Jaeger unit. The Classing System is a program to design a Jaeger based on a pilot's warrior type. For example, if one of these pilots is a fast fighter, the classing system will design a Jaeger that has more maneuverable than endurance, or if one of these pilots is heavy duty warrior, the classing system will design a Jaeger that has more firepower and endurance of an average Jaeger. In 1987 of November 11, the three nations were in a stalemate and entered into a new treaty known as the Treaty of the Trident allowing the three nations to coexistence among themselves._

_The Jaegers were much stronger, more flexible, and more durable than the Knightmares due to their Forgium bodies. They were actually created in 1916 by the Arisians long before the first Knightmare was introduced. By the First Pacific War, the Jaeger technology was used by all the nations of Arias. Although the Jaegers were mass-produced, each one was uniquely built to deal with the threats of the time._

_By the time Britannians invaded them, they were building 8th generation Jaegers which were far more technologically advanced than the newly introduced Knightmares._

* * *

_With the 4th to 7th generation Jaegers were equipped with the battalions of Arias, 16.3% of the taken territory was restored to the original ruler, Queen Elewys. Thanks to two battalions; Liberty under the command of Lelouch Lamperouge and the Black Knights under the command of Zero, the two battalions alone had turned the whole tide of the war._

_However, the Aftermath of the Battle of Io was a complete failure as Britannians launch a surprise attack in hopes to gain a path to the capital city of Arias as well as capturing Queen Elewys who was visiting Io for taking care of 'wounded' citizens who were caught in the crossroad of the war. The results were the death of Queen Elewys allowing 2nd Princess Nunnally to ascend the Throne, the death of Zero causing the loss of Ariasian morale, and fatal wounds upon Lelouch's fiance, Cera Canmore forcing Liberty Battalion to retreat while the surviving Black Knights to earn a costly victory over the Britannian's latest attack._

* * *

(3 days after the Battle of Io) In the waiting room of the operational room, a young man with black hair and violet eyes is currently sitting in one of the chairs as he fidgets with his hands. Wearing his casual clothing when out of military duty, which consists of a red jacket with a black shirt underneath and grey trousers.

He looks around the waiting room as it was completely empty from his view. The room is completely whiter than the other nations' white making him think that it might be heaven. The whole room is void of all colors except on the face of a wall showing the Ariasian's symbol of the red cross. Their version of the red cross with some sort of arrow bisecting the red cross.

He looked in front of where he's sitting at the automatic door which are currently sealed by the protocol as the red lights still visible showing the word Operating. Denying all logic, he clutches to hope that the woman that he loved the most of the whole wide world will live.

Within moments of him reliving the Battle of Io in his mind, the word Operating vanish as he heard the doors unsealed themselves. He stood up and walked to the door as he welcomed the doctors and nurses who worked almost three days healing his fiance.

Four personnel walked out of the door, a doctor, a nurse, and two Liberty medics. Two of the medics faced the doctor and nurse as the doctor said, "You should inform your General."

One of the medics looks to the side and saw his general while the other medic says, "Don't worry, I'll taking care of that. Will, she lasted till the General rushed to her side?"

The Doctor shook his head and answered grimly, "I'm afraid not! I'll contact her family." From that moment, the doctor and nurse leave while the man's heart drops of what feels like to be forever as the two medics notice of the General and approach him.

Regardless of his subordinates, he ignored as he enters the room and saw his fiance laying in the bed with a case sealing her from being affected by outside forces as a breathing mask breathes oxygen into her. His fiance is a year younger than him and slightly shorter than the average height of both Japanese and Arisian's women. Cera Canmore or C.C as he calls her her long, almost waist-length light green hair exposes her beautiful pale face. She seems to be sleeping as he comes closer and grabbed a chair to sit on it as he has difficulty controlling his emotions.

Then, he heard her voice calling the nickname of the man, "Lulu," snapping his sight from his hands to her face showing the golden eyes of the woman he loved the most. On cue, the breathing mask was removed and the case opens itself.

It was a tense moment as the couple just looks at each other as they knew that this is possible for the last time.

"C.C… I want you to tell me. Did you volunteer to help out Queen Elewys?" asked 'Lulu' as he fully knows that C.C isn't born to Io, but born of one of the port towns that are safe from the invaders.

"Yes, I did!"

"As a Priestess of the Temple or as Cera Canmore?"

"Both"

He shows her a pained smile, "You always do the kindest of deeds, my beloved!"

"Were the people of Io, the 'wounded,' and Queen Elewys safe from the battle?"

'Lulu' was struggling of saying the truth to his dying fiance, "C.C… Io was... " He stopped himself as he sees C.C eyes dreading of what really happen? "Io was damaged with little to none loss of life as Liberty and the Black Knights saved it from the Britannians." Showing a complete smile with tears falling down his cheeks.

C.C signed a breath relaxing, "I guess what you said to me when you saved from my depression."

'Lulu' flinched as he remembers what C.C was talking about as C.C repeat the same words that saved her from suicide, "'Don't die with that kind of face! At least smile as you die!' You promise that you'll make me smile!"

These words remind himself as the times he was a way to be trained by the Ariasian military, C.C as a priestess was being pressured by other priestess and the high powers of the temple for her to be fully committed to her duties as they found out that she was engaged with a citizen of Arias and a member of the count of Queen Elewys. It was by luck that he returned to find out about this and saved C.C from taking her own life because of those fools. Once she was safe, he went to Queen Elewys who, later, reformed the temples of such extremism faith commitment.

The next words of C.C broke his memory as she said, "How… strange… I can't see… your face… anymore…"

This caused Lulu's face morph in horrible as C.C looks straight at him as she tried reached him with her paler than usual hand. Lulu's hands shotted out to grab the shaking hand of C.C.

C.C says, "I have… a request… Lulu. No,... Lelouch."

"Name it," says Lelouch as he struggled to ensure the flood gates don't open.

"I have… a kiss… from you… for the last time…"

Lelouch accepts the request as he closed the distance between them and his lips touch her tips. Their kiss is made out of the deep love they have for each other as C.C could feel his tears dropping unto her skins as her closed eyes were getting watery.

Her last thoughts, 'Lelouch… I'm so glad…' When C.C detached the kiss and her head slowly fall deeper into the bed as her tears were finally unleashed as the heart monitor shows no heart and brain activity causing Lelouch widened in terror.

* * *

_When Cera Canmore died, multiple personnel of doctors and Liberty Medics rushed to her side to jumpstart her heart as two of them dragged the crying Lelouch out of the room. After 12 minutes of bringing her back to the land of the living in vain, it was declared that Cera Canmore, fiance of the General of the Liberty Battalion have submitted to death._

Lelouch was sitting at the chair looking at the ground with a broken look as he switches his gaze unto the bed that has a blanket covering the whole body of C.C.

He heard the door opens, but he ignores it because he has no reason for living or reason of doing anything worthwhile.

As far as he remembers, he was a child of a Britannian and trained to be a knight for 2nd Princess Nunnally who was sent to Japan after the death of her mother. Queen Elewys who was there at the time when the war happens. Somehow, she found both Nunnally and himself who were separately from Suzaku and among the dead. She learned that the history of both of them and therefore took them to her homeland before the fall of Japan where Nunnally became second born princess of the Ariasians and Lelouch became an Ariasian.

It was there that he finds his true calling as an Ariasian more than Britannian and found C.C and Queen Elewys was his reasons for living as an Ariasian. Now, the two Ariasians that allow Arias to be his home are now gone, he no longer feels he's a native of Arias.

His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice, "Lelouch!"

He turned around to see 12 years old girl with brown curly hair (which lasts almost to the length of her middle back) and light violet eyes. She wears a dress that reminiscent of her former homeland. {Nunnally is wearing when she meets Lelouch in the Damocles} Her legs seems to be wounded because she is in some high tech wheelchair.

His eyes returned to its' original shrine as he stands up and crossed his arms into an X. He addressed as his arms as he says, "Nunn- I mean Your Majesty"

"Lelouch…" she looks at the covered body, "... I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, besides I'm sorry for the losses of your mother and Zero as well." Then, Lelouch looks at the legs showing a sad neutral face, "I take it that the Battle of Io takes more than your mother and Zero?"

"Yes, I'm afraid that you're right."

"Is the wheelchair permanent or temporary?"

"The Battle of Io took away my legs, for the foreseeable future, our technology seems more focused on the war effort."

Lelouch did a sad sigh, "I see! Are you comfort me in my time of need or is it something to do about the war?"

The new Queen of the Ariasian shows a sad face as she doesn't want to force her former knight to do what must do. After all, she was once a princess to the 1st enemy that dared invaded Arias of the 21st century and Lelouch was a knight chose at a young age to defend her. She doesn't want to be a Queen, but her adoptive mother has chosen her than her older adoptive sister. She doesn't want decisions that may impact the whole world in a negative way, after all, she always desires to make the world a gentle place.

But now, she must focus on the benefit of Arias and it was in that benefit, someone must take up the mantle of Zero. In her eyes, Lelouch has proven himself worthy of that mantle as he proves from time to time of the defense of their homeland that he is Zero. She hated making heavy hearted decisions that borderline ruthless, but she must take up the mantle as Queen of the Ariasians.

With a heavy burden striking her heart, her hand held one of Lelouch's hands and tightly comfort his hand. "Lelouch, I know that you blame yourself on your fiance's death, but it isn't your fault." She paused as Lelouch looks at her with a puppy like eyes.

Her heart was gripped at him because she basically manipulating Lelouch into becoming the greatest warrior of Arias. However, she must do this, "It was our former people, the Britannians who know that Io was full of innocent people, but they ignored it for the sake of making Arias, a domain of the Empire. Emperor Charles… my former father ensures that the Empire followed the concepts of Social Darwinism where the Strongest ruled over the Weakest. It was his fault of making the Empire care less about the people they've govern or forced to be governed."

Lelouch, who was being reminded of the ways the Empire worked, currently getting angry at such of revelation. It was the Emperor who makes the Empire follow such a ruthless and heartless policy. It was the Emperor who makes the military power of the Empire to kill whoever they want and wherever they want. It the Emperor who ensure that the world blessed the Strong for stomped over the Weak. It was the Emperor's fault that his fiance and the former Queen of the Ariasians to died by the man who doesn't care about his children that ruled ⅓ of the whole World.

With rage and hated shining in his eyes, Lelouch says with his hands shaking, "Your Majesty, I swear! I swear on the blood of my ancestors and on the blood of my descendants… that I… I will Obliterate Britannia!" Then, he bowed like a Britannian as he says, "What do you desire of me, Your Majesty?"

Seeing Lelouch like this, she considers herself successful on the plan making Lelouch into Zero. All she has to do is to finish what she started.

"Meets me at the Palace when you're _ready_," said Queen Nunnally as she exited the room.

* * *

(A day later) _Once Lelouch puts Cera's remains to rest, Lelouch doesn't waste time to rush to the Queen's side at the Palace. The Palace looks almost like the movie called Tomorrowland. Once there, Queen Nunnally leads Lelouch to a secret room._

Dressed in his military uniform which consists of blue/silver combat suit that made of Forgium alloy. Mixing an element or two make the Forgium combat suites to be lightweight than the average combat gears of other countries. However, the Forgium alloy grants the Ariasian Warriors speed, but it severely weakened what makes the Forgium to be the strongest metal. These combat suits resemble certain Helljumpers, however, the owners of these combat suits can customize these suits whatsoever they like.

Lelouch's combat suit looks lesser than the average combat suit and more like robotic. Since Lelouch is the General of Liberty Battalion, his combat suit was decorated to represent the flag of the Ariasians. It was painted in blue to symbolizes strength, wisdom, and loyalty to the homeland. Some parts of it were painted in silver to symbolizes trust, tranquility, intelligent, and persistent of keeping Arias free from corruption at all times. At the chest of the combat suit is the shining star standing a top of Egyptian bowing style eagles.

Although the Eagles aren't part of the Ariasian flag, the Eagles were put there for they symbolize the importance of honesty and truthful principles. The eagles convey the power of freedom and courage to look ahead.

The most important icon of the Ariasian flag is the five-pointed star shining "throughout the night." The Ariasian could represent anything of is most valued to the Ariasians. It could be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, or other positive virtues that are worthy of fighting for.

The combat suit made him look buffer in nature. His boots may seem to be heavy duty, but it is lightweight for a dash. His gloves have claiming tech as well the tech to control a Jaeger without climbing into a cockpit. The claiming tech is more like magnetizing the weapons that are far away to the person who has it. It can act as a saving grace for those who lose their weapons or their weapons have run out of ammo. His suit can carry enough ammo for three different weapons and a total of three battles. The only thing that is missing is his helmet which seems to be a hybrid between a certain supersoldier with a shield and a certain supersoldier of a game series.

* * *

{Back to the topic} The room that the Queen and himself come into is located under the Garden of the Queens. The Garden of the Queens is as long as the Roman Coliseum and filled with numerous plant species including once thought extinct ones as well.

This secret room underneath the Garden of the Queens is the same size as the garden but lies far beneath the soil. The room is nearly impossible to see without the uses of light sources. There are light, but they shined weakly as they were hanging from the ceiling of this room. There are many square-shaped holes on the walls from left to the right of the whole room. Inside these holes lay humanoid shapes cover by white cloth wrapping and cloaking their bodies from outside eyes.

The Queen, who dressed in funeral clothing, asks as both headed to the center of the room, "Do you know what this place is?"

After seeing the bodies each of these holes; the holes that hold these bodies are very close to each other allows an idea to form in his head. The biggest dead giveaway was at the center in the form of a large suspended sarcophagus.

Lelouch says in a small shock to the Queen, who positioned herself in front of the sarcophagus at a few feet, "It's the Catacomb of the Zeroes!"

The Queen nodded as she says, "Here rests the Champion and Founder of our very nation. Every Zero, from first to last. Each Zero rise and fall during the History of the Three Nations or should I said the History of the Remaining Two Nations."

Lelouch fully knowing the intention behind Queen Nunnally's words from now and in the hospitable, "You want me to become the next Zero?"

Queen Nunnally weakly nod at this while closing her eyes to cover her pain of the choice.

"What use am I or my vengeance? Despite our advantage in our technology, we can't win this war by launching ships, planes, and tanks unto Unfamiliar Lands. Leads troops to battle in areas that the Enemy fully knows. We will fall into their clutches if we launch all offensives against the Britannians when we secure our homeland from their troops and ships."

"Not as Lelouch Lamperouge, General of the Liberty Battalion or a general of the Ariasians. Become Zero and you shall be set loose against this tyrant with my blessing and the Black Knights," says Queen Nunnally as the large sarcophagus opened up and come closer to Lelouch, revealing a newer version of Zero. The last Zero have a tight dark purple light armored suit with golden stripes, long wrapped sleeves, and a frilled white cravat.

This new version of Zero {R2} is consists of a tight light purple heavily armored suit of the same features as the old one. Like the original, this outfit combines Victorian fashion with that of a sleek bodysuit as well the black/gold cloak with crimson spandex lining inside and an enormous black cape encircling the head.

Only the mask has the most changes to this Zero and the previous Zero. The previous Zero's mask has 2-4 smaller horns with a locking mechanism stretch to the back of the head. The new mask has the same designs of the old mask, but with five large horns act as some sort of a crown.

As Lelouch approaches the Zero armor, the first thing to grab is the mask. He observed the mask finding the Mask to be reinforced with Forgium.

He held it up high seeing some sort of bird sigil stretched over its bottom and appears opaque from the outside. He turns it around finding the mask to be transparent as his standard of it was met. Sadly, it was a disappoint met because Lelouch hopes there was more than meets the eye of the legendary mask of Zero.

After a moment of seeing the mask, Lelouch's face inch closer to the mask until his face is fully embraced by the mask. The locking mechanism kicks in as it stretches from the back of his head to the whole of the neck. After that, he begins to strips of his liberty battalion armor and replaces it with the Zero armor.

Once the cloak and cape were put on, he spins around to meet Queen Nunnally's gaze as he says, "What would you have your Zero do?"

"For now…" said the Queen as she grabs a forgium made longsword from somewhere of the Catacomb of the Zeroes, "Kneel before me…" She ordered which Lelouch did so without hesitation.

Queen Nunnally commenced the following oath like her adopted mother who does other ceremonies with such professionalism. Even without witnesses, the birth of a Zero must be done in shadows and only the Queen as the only witness to the birth.

"Lelouch Lamperouge," she began. "On the blood of your descendants, on the blood of your ancestors, will you swore to uphold the ideals and truths of a gentle world even to your dying breath!?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," he says with no traces of hesitation.

"Do you wish to abandon your identity and life as Lelouch Lamperouge… and become the attacker of the oppressor and defender of the opposed?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," he says while he looks down.

"Do you sacrifice all of your own happiness for the world now and forever?"

"Yes, Your Majesty…"

"Those who would reject our ideals, our truths of the world are tyrants- worthy of neither pity nor mercy! Even now, they will this war, a necessary war to ensure their way of life as the only way to live as they call other ideas and truths as false concepts. If the World falls to their clutches, it would mean the end of everything we've fought for."

"I shall grind them into dust! Whatever it takes!" he said with hatred and strength laced in his voice.

"And continue our march to a World of Freedom, Order, and Peace!" declared the Queen as she displayed the sword before her face and tapped the shoulders of Lelouch. "Then I, Queen Nunnally of the Ariasians hereby dubbed you as Zero, now and forever. You may rise and stand tall."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

* * *

Walking out of the secret entrance of the Catacombs of the Zeroes, Zero stopped his ascend from the darkness as Queen Nunnally turns around seeing Lelouch, no Zero standing in the shadows of the entrance.

She asks, "Zero, is there something amiss?"

Zero replied, "No, Your Majesty. It's just… just that I have a request."

"A request?"

Zero stepped out of the shadows, "Yes, Your Majesty! For my request…" Zero bowed down in front of the Queen, "… before I fight against the Britannian invaders, I would like to have Liberty Battalion to merged with the Order of the Black Knights."

Afterthoughts about the benefits of the request, Queen Nunnally says with a small smile, "Granted! Zero, once your forces secure the lands of our home, Gabriel, and the ruins of Zodanga, seek me for I have another mission for you."

Zero nodded as he gets up, "Very well, Your Majesty!" WIth that Zero left the Garden leaving Queen Nunnally alone.

* * *

**As you knows, this is another story that have a non canon country to goes against Britannia or something like this. The first chunk which talks about the origins of the small continent and inspired by the Black Panther movie. Zodanga was taken from John Carter because I have no other creative names and Zodanga seems to be a great name. Then, the next chunk is the prologue of Code Geass first episode from the series and opening scene of the movies. (Those of you who haven't watch Lelouch of the Resurrection, WATCH THAT MOVIE, IT IS IN MY OPONION, THE BEST MOVIE OF THE MOVIE 'SAGA'.) The flag of the Ariasian is inspired by the USA flag and will be the United States of America of Code Geass. I made Zero to start earlier because it is based on the idea of the Arbiter of Halo sense, but it only gives the strongest of warriors.**

**Then, the third chunk tells about the Jaegers which will be inspired by transformers, Pacfim rim (I still don't know how to spell it or says it), and Titanfall. I wanted to make the Jaegers to be superior to the knightframe because I wanted to show that Britannian Empire Conquesting Days are numbered.**

**In this fanfic, Lelouch Lamperouge is going to be his real name and isn't a member of the royal family at all. There's a chance that mostly all characters including him will be out of control. Lelouch will have an musle body due to training and will be the first Zero to be a Brainy Zero for now. This is a guarantee that there will be OCs in this story as it progesses.**

**For those of you who like CC, I'm sorry but I wanted to ensure that Lelouch have a motivation of 'destorying' Britannia. In addition, I gave her a full name because the power of Geass is nonexistence as well this story likely won't follow the events of the latest Code Geass movie. The death of CC was inspired by the Death of Princess Euphemia.**

**How Nunnally became Queen of the Ariasian, I'm going to keep it as a secret for now. As much as I wanted to explain or talk about the three nations, I have to save it at another time. I made some mentions of Halo and Captain America in a way to suit this story more effective.**

**The Scene of Lelouch becoming Zero was inspired by the Black Empire fanfic and Halo 2 where Thel became the 'new' Arbiter.**

**For future hints, Lelouch possibly will have a harem and there will be chapters covering of how Lelouch as the new Zero saved the whole Arias from being enslaved from the Britannians. **

**If you have a Question about any of this or that I missed any points you wanted to explore in, don't be afraid to asks that I will address them at the next chapter. If you have suggestions on making this story to be more to your liking, don't be afraid as once.**

**This story was greatly inspired by The Black Empire and least inspired by The Black Prince & His Forbidden Love!**


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